Two questions we were left with by Pastor Danny this past Sunday were: “Is the book of Genesis important?”, and “If so, why?” The former being the easy one to answer, but the latter buttressing the answer to the first. The former answer being ‘yes, of course!’ The latter answer pointing us to what the book contains. In honesty and humility, our presuppositions of Scripture come into play at this point.
Without a foundation there is no house. Without roots there is no plant. Without a beginning there is no reason for a middle or end. We know that the Bible has granted to us all that pertains to life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3) and that the sacred writings makes one wise unto salvation (2 Tim. 3:15). All that pertains to life and godliness started in the book of Genesis and there finds it foundation and roots. The scriptures that make one wise to salvation begin in Genesis, also finding its roots and foundation there. As Pastor mentioned, we are so dependent on the events that happen in this book that we don’t have a clue what it is like to not have the account of these events.
Let me list off a couple of major events that happen in the book of Genesis and some importance that comes with them:
1) Fall – sin entered creation and gives our need of a savior,
2) Tower of Babel – God’s hatred of self-exaltation and the many languages we have on earth,
3) God’s covenant with Abraham – God’s choosing of a people and blessing coming through his seed (which is Christ),
4) Joseph’s rise to power in Egypt – God’s sovereign care over his people even in the midst of waiting.
This is not the end of the list but a mere starting point. These are only 4 events that happen out of hundreds more.
Some of these events may be very familiar, for others you might need a refresher, and perhaps others may even be new. But it is always good to get back to the basics. Just like it is good to remind ourselves of the simple yet profound truths of the gospel, it is good to be reminded of where this whole world, and this thing called faith, started.
Here are a couple of question to think through as we begin this deeper dive into Genesis:
What does it look like to be humble relearning the basics?
How can I praise God for the origins?
Pray that you would be a student of God’s Word and what He deemed important to reveal in this book of origins.